quence of his delay in
assisting the _Argo_. Some time was occupied in taking in coal and
fresh water and provisions, to make up for the stores supplied to the
merchant vessel. He waited until the last moment he felt justified in
doing, but still the _Empress_ did not appear, and he then had to
continue his course up the Mozambique Channel, with which he and Green
were so well acquainted, and onwards to Aden.

Here he found numerous ships of war, and several transports and store
ships. The troops were to proceed up the Red Sea to Massowah, a port
belonging to the Egyptians, at which the Foreign Office had obtained
permission for the disembarkation of the forces destined to march to the
rescue of the British prisoners held captive by Theodore, the tyrant
King of Abyssinia. Colliers also were arriving with coal to supply
motive power, both for the transit of troops and also for the purpose of
condensing from the sea fresh water for the use of men and animals.

The _Bellona_, in company with numerous other ships, now proceeded up
the Red Sea. On their arrival in the neighbourhood of their destined
port, they found that a convenient landing-place had been selected at
Zulla, on the shore of Annesley Bay.

The _Bellona_ steamed slowly in amid the vast number of vessels already
arrived, and at length came to an anchor. About fourteen miles off rose
the lofty mountains of Abyssinia, which it was the destined task of the
British soldiers to scale. Between these mountains and the sea extended
a wide plain, on which could be seen a large collection of white canvas
tents, glittering in the tropical sun. Among them red dots represented
the British soldiers moving about; while the banner of England floated
from a tall flag-staff in their midst. A long wharf had been
constructed, extending into the sea, and on both sides of it were
lighters, discharging munitions of war and stores of all descriptions,
while countless other boats pulled backwards and forwards between the
vessels and the pier.

On shore, thousands of labourers of every hue were employed like ants,
carrying the stores as they were landed to the commissariat depots.
Steam-engines were at work, rendering help of all sorts; some condensing
the salt water, and, when turned into fresh fit for drinking, forcing it
through pipes to the shore.

Nearly every hour fresh vessels were arriving, both from Suez and Aden,
the former bringing mules and horses in vast numbe